6 stunning spas in the Middle East you need to experience once in your life

The ways to relax and rejuvenate are far from the beaten track in the Middle East. A world away from the ordinary, the Middle East’s luxury resort spas are a rose-scented haven for wellness travellers seeking ultimate pampering in the most spectacular, surprising destinations. From opulent hammams to nourishing Dead Sea baths, indulgent treatments employ natural, local ingredients creatively paired with the latest rejuvenating techniques for a spa sojourn that will be as effective as it is unforgettable.

Talise Ottoman Spa, Jumeirah Zabeel Saray, Dubai

Best for… Hammam
If you’re dreaming of 1001 Arabian Nights, this award-winning spa will recreate the fantasy. With lavish treatment rooms, a dedicated VIP area, and a cavernous marble hammam, you are in the perfect setting to be utterly cosseted by this celebrated north African ritual.Try: The hour-long Royal Hammam Treatment, which begins with a light skin brushing. Relax on your heated marble slab as your therapist douses you from head to toe in warm water and you feel your stress and toxins wash away. Keep your eyes closed for the cleanse; the frothing olive oil soap is layered gently over you like a giant cloud, then kneaded into your body. The unique touch is the body masque, the therapist massaging your scalp to ease away the minutes as it takes effect. One final splash of warm water, and a complete head-to-toe cleanse, and you’ll emerge from the misty confines of the hammam as good as new.

Armani Spa, Armani Hotel, Dubai

Best for… Elegant pampering
In the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, prime yourself for a chic and oh-so-salubrious experience.Try: The Stillness body scrub and wrap that tenderly coerces you to your tranquil place. Using natural sisal gloves, dead skin cells are ushered away and your body is massaged into submission with fragrant oil and enriching serums. The therapist swathes your moisturised body with layers of soft organic cotton, linen and wool for optimum absorption before you’re unwrapped to reveal a new you. In one of the premium treatment rooms, you are led to a small annex reserved just for the ritual of cleansing your feet, something so particular to the Arabian experience.

The Spa, Four Seasons Hotel, Beirut

Best for… Decadent rejuvenation
Amid the bustle of arguably the most unique city of the Middle East, The Four Seasons Hotel is the perfect point for repose, positioned between the city’s high-end shopping district and the famous blue mosque. Venture onto the mezzanine and you’ll discover a hideaway spa that beckons you.Try: The anti-ageing Royal Damascus Rose Body Wrap that will envelope your body in a delicately scented, mineral-packed wrap that rehydrates and soothes every inch of you. Using the pink clay sourced from the mountains of Syria, the mask is gently applied and allowed to dry to trap the moisture and restore your natural vitality. Just ask, and the therapist can add their Dr Burgener Active Anti-Ageing Concentrate, an intense mix of royal jelly, honey and essential oils that will cocoon your body in a youthful softness for even longer.

Six Senses Zighy Bay, Oman

Best for… Complete relaxation
In a pristine secluded bay on Oman’s Musandam Peninsula is Zighy Bay, a private resort and spa designed with the barefoot traveller in mind.Try: The Rose Crystal Lymphatic Facial—90 minutes of sheer organic bliss that will banish any last traces of travel fatigue. The experience begins with deep cleansing, followed by three consecutive masks—one to decongest, one to brighten and the last to nourish. A lymphatic and acupressure massage will firm up your visage and treat puffiness, and as you bask under your fresh new glow, the therapist will massage your extremities to extend that deep sense of relaxation to every part of your body.

The Ishtar Spa By Resense, Kempinski Hotel Ishtar, Dead Sea, Jordan

Best for… Therapeutic healing
The resort is nestled on the tip of the Salt Lake, at the lowest point on the earth. It’s an oasis of olive and palm trees interrupted only by flashes of blue—private pools, lagoons and waterfalls that overlook the expanse of the West Bank.Try: The Complete Experience—over three hours of ultimate pampering that harnesses the restorative powers of the Dead Sea. The therapist expertly exfoliates your body with local sea salt before you’re draped in warm Dead Sea mud infused with essential oils to deeply heal and awaken your skin. Opt for an Arabian massage as the final body treatment that employs five styles of long, gliding and flowing strokes to stimulate circulation before the final flourish—the Age Defier facial for a healthy, luminescent complexion.

Iridium Spa, St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, Abu Dhabi

Best for… A youthful glow
Retreat into the Art Deco glamour of the legendary St. Regis and the impeccable Iridium spa, where you’re encouraged to leave your devices at the door for a complete break from the world outside.Try: Their Asian Spell Time Ritual, three fluid hours of treatment, where one element simply flows into the next. An antioxidant-rich scrub of shea butter, apricot oil, bamboo powder and tea will ease you into the whole experience, filling the room with a seductive aroma. Next, a massage that combines the best of Asian techniques works on the pressure points of your meridian lines to stimulate your energy and circulation. Leaving the best for last, the Skin Radiance Facial uses tea and nourishing oils for a complete detox.